News About Union Activity in Libraries, Archives, and the Information Sector.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Janet Irwin of AFSCME Local 88 turns the page on 46-year library career

Janet Irwin of AFSCME Local 88 turns the page on 46-year library career.

“I worked very hard getting library workers involved in Local 88,” said Irwin, who served as an elected vice president and secretary of Local 88, as well as a delegate to state and international AFSCME conventions. "

Janet Irwin retired Oct. 31 after 46 years as a librarian for Multnomah County. At the same time, she also surrendered her seat on the Executive Board of the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, where she was the second most senior member.

Irwin has been a member of Multnomah County Employees AFSCME Local 88 for 26 years. Prior to that she was president and 20-year member of the independent Library Employees of Multnomah County. At that time, Portland-area libraries were privately operated by the Library Association of Portland, which received the bulk of its budget from public funds.